May 1, 2024 // by Jimmy Barnett, Minister for Youth & Young Adults

First of all, what is TEC? At Teens Encounter Christ, or TEC as you’ll most often hear it called, high school students come together in community with each other to explore and grow their faith. Throughout the weekend they hear from their peers, discuss topics of faith together, and experience the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection through worship services leading to Sunday’s Easter service. At the end of the weekend, those students are invited to serve on future TEC retreats.

This spring, candidates (or first time TEC high schoolers) heard from three of their peers on the topics of Community, Being an Apostle, and “Who I am in Relation to God.” They also heard panels from the TEC Team (returning TEC high schoolers) about why they came back to TEC and how to carry the TEC experience out into the world. Two of the speakers were St. Stephen’s own Grace Deuber and Frances Vorbrich. Both seniors this year, they shared their incredible leadership skills – leading with humility, welcoming as Christ welcomes, and sharing wisdom beyond their years.

I should also mention that TEC is fun! The TEC Team chooses a theme each season and this spring was “Wild West.” If you were present for the TEC closing 10:15 AM Easter service on April 21st, you may have noticed the decorations in the narthex. The teens had fun playing games like spoons and musical chairs, and they enjoyed special events like the Saturday night game show. And everyone enjoyed the great food prepared by the kitchen team!

18 students were present for TEC this spring. That represents the most yet in the post-pandemic “resurrection” era. The retreat that once welcomed 150 teens was shaken when several classes continued to graduate as the virus kept us from safely meeting in those numbers. We’re now facing the challenge of starting over. Where there was once a waiting list to get in, we now have an opportunity to invite students who may have never heard of TEC including students from other Episcopal parishes.

Today, the TEC Team is made up of our St. Stephen’s students, students across ECMN, and students whose parents were on Team in years past!

In addition to the teen “Team”, TEC is made possible by our incredible volunteers who give up two weekends a year to help empower the teen Team and to model Christ to them. At the center of those adults are the TEC Advisory Committee (or TECTAC). They spend countless evenings pouring over the weekend and, when it’s finished, start working towards the next TEC.

In fall of 2022, we restarted TEC and were learning to crawl. By fall of 2023, we were starting to walk. After Spring TEC 2024, it feels like we are ready to run.

Thank you for supporting TEC and for supporting youth at St. Stephen’s. I am continually humbled by so many St. Stephen’s parishioners who have volunteered to serve with youth ministries over our community’s long history of supporting young people. After all, they are not the future of the church, they are the church now!